Foundation garment



L. HUNAU FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed Sept. 13, 1957 INVENTOR.

BY Li Hion Hunou United States Patent FOUNDATION GARMENT Lillian Hunan,Great Neck, N. Y., assgnor to Exquisite Form Brassiere Inc., New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 13, 1957, SerialNo. 683,839

4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-493) This invention relates to clothing, andparticularly to ladies foundation garments of the type known asbrassieres.

Known constructions of mass produced brassieres are supplied to wearersthereof in a number of fixed sizes. Different sizes, of course, allowfor dimensional variation'from wearer to wearer. In addition, there areto be found on the market, many diiferent styles of brassieres toachieve different bust molding effects, or for use with diiferent typesof outer garb, for example, dresses with varying depths of neckline. Butwith brassieres of conventional construction, the wearer has noopportunity in the same brassiere to cause variations in the moldedappearance of the bust, although such variations may be desirable withdifferent `dress styles, and at different seasons, nor will the sameconventional brassiere often be suitable for use with dilferent depthsof neckline.

Accordingly, it is the primary object in the present invention toprovide a brassiere which permits variation in the molded appearance ofthe bust, and also permits adaptation of the same brassiere for use withshallower or deeper necklines. The way in which this primary object isaccomplished is to permit, by a single, very simple manipulation, analteration in the effective surface area of fabric in both the bustcups, whereby a redistribution of the Stress bearing function ofdifferent areas of the bust cups occurs. Thus, it is possible by theindicated manipulation to obtain a more accentuated contour where thisis indicated as desirable for a certain dress, or to permit a morerelaxed contour, as may be desired for another garment. lt is notnecessary in the carrying out of this object that any portion be removed4from the brassiere, nor need anything be added thereto, nor is itnecessary to employ any agency outside my novel brassiere itself toreach the objective prescribed.

Another object inthe present invention is to utilize, in achieving theindicated primary objective, material and fabrics commonly employedin'brassiere construction so that impracticality in manufacture byreason of excessive Vvcosts of materials is avoided. Furthermore,conventional equipment employed in brassiere manufacture may be utilizedin the production of my novel brassiere, so that no modification inequipment is necessary, and added expense on this account will belikewise avoided.

A final object is to provide a brassiere of novel construction for novelapplication, which is nonetheless as satisfactory as conventionalbrassieres from the point of view of the wearer so far as maintenance isconcerned, in that no diiculty in laundering arises.

How these and many other objects` are to be achieved will become clearthrough a consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of my novelbrassiere with the loop of the strap extended;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view similar to Fig. l with the loop of thestrap contracted by reason of having been .drawn through the buckle;

Patented Sept. 23, 1958 Fig. 3 is a schematic enlarged representationindicating the interaction `between the strap and the buckle; and

Fig. 4 is a section at 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings is shown a brassiere having a bust Icovering section,generally designated 10, and body encircling members 11 and 12 extendingfrom either side of the bust covering section 10. Shoulder straps 13 and14 are attached to the bust covering section.

Within the bust covering section 10, is a base member 11 which may be ofhorizontally stretchable fabric as shown in the drawings, such basemember 10 defining the bottom of the brassiere in the bust coveringsection thereof. The upper edge of the base member 1S presents twoarcuate edges 16 and 17 into which lower parts 2G and 21 of a pair ofbust cups are set as shown in Figs. l and 2. An upper portion 22 of bustcovering section 10, extends across such bust covering section,providing upper parts in ea-ch of the bust cups. Such upper portion 22is joined to the lower part 20 in the left cup seen in the drawingsalong a substantially medial line 23, and to lower part 2l of the rightbust cup along medial line 24, such medial lines 23 and 24 presenting asubstantially single medial line extending across the entire bustcovering section.

A strap 27 is secured to the interior surface of base member 15, betweenthe bust cups, such strap 27 being secured to the base member 1S at onlyone of its ends, the other end being free, and passing through buckle 23which is mounted on the exterior surface of base member 15'. As may beseen in Fig. 4, stitches 29 passing through the base member l5 serve tohold both the mounted end of strap 27 and buckle 28 upon the base memberl5. The buckle comprises a frame 30 which is the part of the buckle heldto base member 15 by stitches 29, and such frame member has anupstanding serrated edge 31. Lugs 32 extend from the frame 3b on eitherside, and engage lever portion 33 of the buckle for pivotal movement ofthe lever portion. When the lever portion 33 is in its down position asexemplified in Fig. 4, the portion of the strap Z7 passing therethroughis securely held and locked against the serrated edge Si by the leverportion 33. When, however, lever portion 33 is pivoted outwardly asindicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, the strap is released and may bepulled in either direction as indicated by arrows in Figs. 3 and 4through the buckle to a desired position, whereupon the strap may belocked at such position by returning the lever portion 33 to the downposition.

Strap 27 provides a loop, as best seen in Fig. 4, between its mountedendand its end which passes through the buckle 28, and such loop passesaround the center of upper portion 22 of the bust covering section. Fig.1 illustrates the condition of the brassiere when the loop provided bystrap 27 is extended so that upper portion 22 is unaffected. Thecondition of the brassiere seen in Fig. 2 may be attained by pivotinglever portion 33 of the buckle 28 outwardly to release the strap 27 andpermit slidable movement of the strap through the buckle. The strap isthen pulled downwardly whereby the loop of the strap is contracted whichmeans that the portion of the upper portion of the bust covering sectionwithin such loop is gathered. The direction of movement of the strapnecessary to achieve this end is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Afterthe upper portion is gathered to the extent desired, lever portion 33 ofthe buckle is pivoted downwardly to lock. and hold the strap in suchposition. By the manipulation of the strap as indicated, the moldingcharacteristics of the respective bust cups will be markedly changed,and the net effect will be an accentuation ofthe bust in the wearer.

While I have described a specitic embodiment of my invention, it isapparent that changes and modifications may' .be made therein` withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

1. Av brassiere comprising" a bust covering'section-y and bodyencircling members extending` fromA said bust covering section, a strapfixeldly mountedv atV one' e'rfdE thereof on a lfirst face of saidbustncovering section,A the` other end of said strap being free, abuckle mountedY on the second face ofrsaid bust covering section. theYfree end of said strap being releasably and s lidably engageablc byVsaid buckle, said bust covering section having an upper portion, saidstrapnorniingfa loop within which said upper by said buckle, said bustcovering section having anupper portion, said strap forming a loopwithin which said upper portion is included, whereby upon reduction insize of said loop by drawing said strap through said buckle, said upperportion of said bust covering section willbe gathered within said loop.

3.` A brassiere comprising a bust covering section and body encirclingmembers extending from said bust covering section, an elongated elementxedly mounted at one end thereof on a first face of said bust coveringsection, the other end of said element being free, a fastening elementmounted on the second face of said bust covering section, the free endof said elongated element being engageable by said fastening element forsecurent therewith, said bust covering section having an upper portion,said elongated element forming a loop Within which said upper portion isincluded, whereby upon reduction in size of said loop by engaging saidelongated element with said fastening element, said upper portion ofsaid bust cove/ring" section will be gathered within said loop.

4. A brassie're comprising a bust covering section and body encirclingmembers extending from said bust covering section', said bustcover-ingsection including a pair of spaced breast receiving pockets, anelongated element xedly mounted vat one end thereof on a face ofsaidbust covering section between said pockets, the other end of saidclement being free, a fastening element mounted on a face of said bustcovering section between said pockets and spaced a substantial distancefrom the fixed end of said elongated element, the free portion of saidelongated element being engageable by said fastening element forsecuremrit therewith, said bust covering section having an upperportion, said elongated element forming a loop Within which said upperportion is ineluded, whereby upon reduction in size of said loop byengaging said elongated element with said fastening element, said upperportion of said bust covering section will be gathered within said loop.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GermanyMay 25, 1928

